Just a tadpole

My true loves gave to me

BY SUSAN NIENOW

I did finally finish my cleaning before the kids arrived. That is, son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters. When I was down to the wire and needed to clean my desk and the laundry room, I did what any self-respecting woman would do under pressure – I shoved everything into empty boxes and then shoved the boxes into closets, onto shelves and under the beds.

The problem comes later when I can’t find things. Shoving doesn’t include sorting so that like-items are in the same box.

I still have gift shopping to do, though not much. It takes me as long to do these few gifts as it once did to do five times as many. That doesn’t make any sense to me but it’s nothing compared to my other half’s reaction.

The hard gifts aren’t because people are picky but because they don’t need anything and can’t use any more dustables or collectables. Specialty foods are hard because some can’t eat what they used to and some people are dieting and would cheerfully call out anyone who would undermine their weight loss efforts. A 94-year-old woman doesn’t have room for six poinsettias, three shawls and two more revolving photo displays.

So, I will look for something my mother doesn’t know she needs, would love to look at, use or eat and doesn’t involve electronics or batteries. Wish me luck.

I have a few things to gift-wrap so the girls can open some Christmas gifts from us before they leave. Yes, I could have done that last week, but why do today what I can put off until tomorrow?

We have taken some pictures while they are here and plan to take more. Only about one in ten are worth keeping, which makes digital photos so wonderful. Getting both girls smiling at the same time is sometimes a trick.

The last time the girls were here, there were tadpoles in the fountain because it was summer. This time it is November after a warm fall, and they found one tadpole in the little bit of water left in the fountain. It is now in a wineglass on the kitchen counter.

The girls have been outside once to get some water with algae in it so the tadpole has something to eat. They also caught a water bug – the kind that swims down in the water. Both are alive and swimming after two days. Did you know there is a website called whatdotadpoleseat.com?

I asked my other half why he used a wineglass, and he said it looked the most like a fishbowl. I am thrilled to see my wineglasses used this way. Just wait until you come to my house and we offer you wine.